Gidney&Knowlesy

You can get round most difficult areas with a logical approach (though of course specialist Subaru tools make it easier).

If you remain methodical & layout everything as it comes off you shouldn't have too many problems..............

If you do get stuck gives us a call & I'll get one of our mechanics to talk you through any difficulties you are having.....

[Edited by XtremeScoobies - 9/6/2003 7:54:55 AM]

caz1562

On Monday I intend to lift out my dead engine and strip it down to assess the damage. Having never done an Impreza engine b4, I'm wondering if there are any problems I may encounter, or special tools that I might need to carryout the job without getting stuck or breaking more components.

caz1562

When would I require these special subaru tools ?

Ive595

Just doing mine now! The only problem I have encountered is the need for a puller to take out the gudgeon pins from the pistons, oh yes and you will need a '14mm allen socket' to take out the bolts to get at the gudgeon pins which is not something you find in everybodies tool kit!!

Anybody know the thread on the gudgeon pins?? So I can make up a puller tomorrow at work.


Cheers

Ive

Andy.F

There is no thread ! If you take the piston to just off BDC you can get a thin (10mm ish) rod through from the other end to knock the pin out. Just be careful not to damage the small end bore with the rod.

Andy

PS If you are splitting the block, you only need to knock 2 pins out on one side.

caz1562

Hi Andy,

Have you any tips for when I commence my strip down. I'm a virgin in the Subaru engine dept.

pugoetru

caz where are you in scotland?

caz1562

Falkirk area

Andy.F

Don't split the block if you are only doing pistons/rings.

There is an access plug/hole for each piston pin, you put a (long) drift through from No4 access hole, past the side of No4 conrod and knock No2 pin out through the front of the block. Then turn the engine 1/2 a turn and do the same to No4 piston pin, knocking the pin out the back of the block via No2 access hole. Repeat for 1&3.

Other than that, it's much the same as any other 16v engine.

cheers

Andy

pugoetru

caz if you fancy a hand i would be interested to see whats involved too

MorayMackenzie

You can dismantle the engine without removing the gudgeon pins, if you need to.

APIDavid

iTrader: (4)

Moray McKenzie,

HOW ?


David API Engines

caz1562

Excellent Andy, thx for the pin removal tip.

I wasn't going to strip the complete block but I need to assess the cylinder damage 1st. It all depends whats fcuked as to how far I go. Fingers crossed

pugoetru - The more the merrier, I've already got one volunteer for stripping the engine, she's ready to lift out after I remove one more g/box bolt

David_Wallis

API david.. It can deffo be done as my engine has no access holes anymore and it went together

I assume just unbolt the rod bolts.. remove rod and piston as one?

David

Ive595

Evening all

Just finished stripping the engine down to the crank. Knocking out the gudgeon pins took 5 minutes once I was pointed in the right direction by Andy F cheers mate!

I found.... number 4 piston rings had broken and taken the piston away in between them however it was only an inch or so.
So need new piston 4 sets of rings and a honing job done on all bores.
I was surprised by the condition of the bores and indeed all engine internals, all were good with the bores showing all the honing marks. This is a 10 year old car with 50,000 miles on the clock!

Need a quick supplier of the above... any ideas, also need a gasket set!

Cheers

Ive

APIDavid

iTrader: (4)

David Wallis, I know that method, but what a pain to fiddle about through the oil pan hole, it can't be time effective surely and most people only have ten knuckles and when they're all broken and bleeding what next?

I am interested to hear Moray's answer when he surfaces.

David API

David_Wallis

LOL @ david..

I have 8.. broke two, they are now non existent!

fiddly indeed but if you dont want to remove crank / bearings and dont have gudgeon pin access holes anymore..

for Piston try howard at www.hdcsubaru.com

can probably get rings too.

David

caz1562

Snap Ive595, soory to hear that m8

I've also got a serious problem with no.4 piston, engine is getting lifted later tonight to begin strip down. I'll keep u posted.

Ive595

OK well the bottom end has gone back together tonight, I hope the rest goes together just as easily.
Still trying to source a clutch! Lateral performance don't have any at the moment, so will go for an AP.

Cheers

Ive

MorayMackenzie

APIDavid,

Whip the heads off, split the casing and open enough to access big end bolts, undo two big ends on the same bank (carefully), the rest is plain sailing.

I have stripped three or so engines this way, so far, just because I find it less fiddly than mucking around with the gudgeon pins being that I haven't got around to obtaining the right tools for those yet.

Certain engine builds with uprated top hat liners that have no gudgeon pin holes machined into them _require_ this technique and it's reverse for stripdown/build.

I am really quite suprised that you seemed so insistent on me answering this one. I would have thought you would have had no problem in working it out yourself. Either that or you were just "testing" me. Ho hum.

Regards,

Moray
(fingers crossed I may pass this one )

APIDavid

iTrader: (4)

Moray, No testing or malice intended at all , Just interested to learn new tricks if there are any.

I agree that when the gudgeon pin holes are sealed up there is no choice. We have the correct Subaru tools for removing 'pins and it's never a problem. Without appropriate tools it is definitely a hassle.

Thus the skinned knuckles joke and so on.

Thanks for your reply much appreciated

David API

MorayMackenzie

Okey Dokey, thanks for clearing that up. I was just suprised that you would have to ask, and ask specifically for me to answer, IYSWIM. It is, indeed, a high risk to knuckles technique.

MorayMackenzie

Andy,

If I merely wished to check the pistons, and the block had gudgeon pin access holes, then I would have obtained the relevant tools.

I did not state that this was the best way to do it, I simply mentioned that is was possible, and that in some cases it will be necessary.

In those blocks that have liners with no access holes, this would the only non destructive way to get the pistons out to inspect them.

I could have borrowed or purchased the relevant tools, but I had no need of them, so why should I waste time and possibly money just to take the conventional route? Surely _you_ should understand this.

Moray

Andy.F

Ok Moray, keep you hair on Just testing you

Andy

APIDavid

iTrader: (4)

LOL David API

highlander68k

How are you getting on caz?

I'm also a flat-four virgin stripper But I have done quite a few other engines.

I've just stripped mine down without too much trouble (just a few cuts from the housing. As I didn't have a 14mm hex key (and it was a Sunday afternoon), I didn't take it further than the short block - but that didn't look too much trouble, and as one of the reply's say, "just knock them out from the other side"

As long as you have a good socket set (and a 12 sided 14mm socket for the cylinder head bolts), it doesn't seem that difficult. I made the special tool for the flywheel from a piece of flat bar with a hole drilled in either end. And I made up tools for removing the pulleys (just larger versions of angle grinder disc removal/refitting tools).

I'm hoping to put it back together this weekend, I'll get some pictures up, somewhere on here.

For anyones amusement: my pressure sensor hose burst and the engine thought it was only getting .5 bar when In fact the boost pressure was probably maxing out the turbo. This caused conrod number 3 to buckle along with a slightly shagged crank.

caz1562

Due to working shifts I've not lifted the engine out yet, tonight however is the night for lift out. Engine stripdown starts Sunday.

This is my 1st whole engine out job and 1st gearbox spilt too, worked on my astra ohc engine but that was 9 yrs ago

I got a 14mm hex key from work on Monday so I'm at least prepared for this part of the job


Good spanners & socket set I do have, might not have a multisided 14mm socket but I could source one Whats the special tool for the flywheel for ? What pulleys do you have to remove ?

MorayMackenzie

Don't worry Andy, I know how testing you can be at times!

APIDavid

iTrader: (4)

Caz & Highlander, Good luck !! Remember that the con rods and pistons are weight matched, so that if you replace just one rod, be sure to check that it is within a tolerance of about 5 grams ideally.

Much more than that and you'll get a vibration due to the flat four configuration.

Most good kitchen scales will do. BUT DONT start carving lumps off either ***** nilly to balance them ASK first about how and where.

David API Engines

caz1562

Cheers for the advice David,

I'm thinking of renewing all pistons when I'm in this far along with a re-bore/deglaze.